Open AccessPaper-Based Potentiometric Sensors for Nicotine Determination in Smokers’ Sweat
Author(s) -
Abd ElGalil E. Amr,
Ayman H. Kamel,
Abdulrahman A. Almehizia,
Ahmed Y A Sayed,
Elsayed Ahmed Elsayed,
Hisham S. M. AbdRabboh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.1c00301
Subject(s) - potentiometric titration , tetraphenylborate , pedot:pss , potentiometric sensor , nicotine , materials science , electrode , sodium tetraphenylborate , linear range , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , ion , optoelectronics , detection limit , chromatography , organic chemistry , neuroscience , biology
Herein, we describe for the first time, the design and fabrication of a novel nicotine paper-based sensor, in which a miniaturized paper reference electrode is integrated for potentiometric measurements. The paper-based sensors were designed using printed wax barriers to define the electrochemical cell and the sample zones. The electrodes were based on the use of the ion association complexes of the nicotinium cation (Nic) with either tetraphenylborate (TPB) or 5-nitrobarbiturate (NB) counter anions as sensing materials for nicotine recognition. A poly (3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly-(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) conducting polymer was used as an ion-to-electron transducer. The performance characteristics of the proposed sensors were evaluated and it revealed a rapid and stable response with a Nernstian slope of 55.2 ± 0.3 and 51.2 ± 0.6 mV/decade over the linear range of 1.0 × 10 -5 to 1.0 × 10 -2 M and detection limits of 6.0 and 8.0 μM for [Nic/TPB] and [Nic/NB], respectively. The sensors revealed a constant response over the pH range 3.5-6.5. The designed sensors provided a portable, inexpensive, and disposable way of measuring trace levels of nicotine coming from different cigarettes and in the collected human sweat of heavy smokers. All results were compared favorably with those obtained by the standard gas chromatographic method.